Antique 10K Yellow Gold Shell Carved Cameo Pin with Mother of Pearl

This is an absolutely ethereal antique cameo set in dazzling 10 karat yellow gold. The gold frame is further embellished by dozens of genuine, lustrous seed pearls.

Cameos have a storied history that dates as far back as the Roman Empire. A cameo is typically created by carving a high (or positive) relief image into stone, glass, coral or, in the case of this piece, shell.

This cameo has the most amazing detailed carving. It is absolutely beautiful.

As you can see, this cameo features a woman’s profile in the classic Greek style. She is carved in very high relief and shows fantastic detail. The figure’s hair, toga, and face are incredibly realistic.

The figure appears white while the uncarved shell background remains its original light shade of rosy-pink.

The shell is set in a beautiful 10 karat gold bezel. The bezel is surrounded by a band of twisted gold which is embellished with tiny wire-strung seed pearls.

The piece has been professionally tested to ensure the purity of the gold.

There is a traditional brooch “C”-clasp on the reverse of the piece as well as a moving bale at the top. This gives the cameo great versatility as far as wear and display are concerned.

The under-gallery is open, allowing you to see the smooth, pink shell from the reverse.

You will find a very small mark on the “C”-clasp that reads “10K”.

The cameo remains in outstanding condition, showing barely any wear or scratching. Some of the seed pearls show a tiny bit of darkening while the wire shows extremely light verdigris in a few small areas.